Startup takes software programming courses to smaller towns

BENGALURU: GrowthStory-backed online training provider AcadGild has teamed up with IL&FS Skills Development Corporation to take its software programming courses to India's towns and cities.

Through the partnership, the startup is set to launch its courses in 20 centres in the next three months and plans to train over 3-lakh programmers in the next five years. AcadGild, co-founded by former VP of Intel's Pentium Processor division, Vinod Dham, focuses on mentor-based training for trending technology skills. IL&FS Skills, promoted by IL&FS Education, the social infrastructure arm of IL&FS Group, in partnership with National Skill Development Corporation has training institutes in over 100 cities including training centres in tier-II and III cities of the country.

"Most students in smaller cities lack access to skilled mentors. They also face infrastructural limitation in terms of internet bandwidth and machines where they can practise or improvise their programming skills. IL&FS training institutes will solve the infrastructural challenge for the students and AcadGild-based courses will help them learn programming skills," said Vikalp Jain, cofounder of AcadGild. The partnership will also enable IL&FS Skills to expand beyond its current vocational and skill-based training programs, to technologically advanced, professional courses, including Android development, big data and digital marketing conducted by AcadGild. In the first phase of the roll out, AcadGild will launch its courses in 20 centres across various cities.

Five centres in cities, including, Delhi, Bengaluru, Ajmer, Trichi and Mumbai have already been upgraded to offer the courses. "AcadGild will help us expand our offerings beyond school drop-outs to graduates and engineering students and enable us to deliver high-quality technology and business courses conducted by expert mentors to a large number of youth across the country," said RCM Reddy, chief executive, IL&FS Skills.